英國一戰老兵成全球最長壽男性

British World War One veteran Henry Allingham is the world's oldest man at 113 following the death of the previous holder of the title, Japan's Tomoji Tanabe, Guinness World Records said on Friday.

"Henry Allingham is now officially the oldest man in the world," said a spokeswoman for the organization widely recognized as the authority on record-breakers.

Tanabe, who ate mostly vegetables and believed the key to his longevity was not drinking alcohol, died on Friday aged 113 and had held the record for the oldest living male since January, 2007.

Allingham was born in London on June 6, 1896, and took the British title on January 19, 2007 aged 110 years 227 days, Guinness World Records said in a statement.

"We're pleased to see an English man take the world record -- the last time someone from England held the title was Frederick Butterfield, who died on March 9, 1974, aged 110," said Craig Glenday, Editor-in-Chief of Guinness World Records.

Allingham is one of only two surviving World War One veterans in the United Kingdom and the last surviving founder member of the Royal Air Force, according to British media.

Allingham's life has spanned three centuries and six monarchs, starting with Queen Victoria. He has five grandchildren, 12 great-grandchildren, 14 great-great grandchildren and one great-great-great grandchild.

Guinness World Records said the oldest living person is American Gertrude Baines, 115, who was born on April 6, 1894.

吉尼斯世界紀錄於上週五確認，之前紀錄保持者日本人田鍋友時去世之後，現年113歲的英國一戰老兵亨利•阿林厄姆成爲全世界最長壽男性。

吉尼斯世界紀錄的一位發言人說：“亨利•阿林厄姆已正式成爲全世界最長壽的男性。”吉尼斯世界紀錄是公認的世界紀錄權威組織。

幾乎只吃蔬菜的田鍋友時認爲自己長壽的祕訣是滴酒不沾。他於上週五去世，享年113歲。自從2007年1月開始，他就保持着世界最長壽男性的紀錄。

吉尼斯世界紀錄在一份聲明中稱，阿林厄姆於1896年6月6日出生於倫敦，並於2007年1月19日成爲該項吉尼斯世界紀錄在英國的保持者，當時他已年屆110歲零227天高齡。

《吉尼斯世界紀錄》總編輯克雷格·格倫迪說：“很高興能有英國人打破這項世界紀錄，上一位保持這項紀錄的英國人是弗雷德裏克•巴特菲爾德，他在1974年3月9日去世，當時110歲。”

據英國媒體報道，阿林厄姆是英國僅存的兩位至今仍健在的一戰老兵之一，還是英國空軍唯一一位健在的創辦成員。

阿林厄姆的人生跨越了3個世紀，從時任維多利亞女王至今英國已經更換了6位君主。他有5個孫輩，12個曾孫，14個玄孫，還有一位第6代小孫子。

吉尼斯世界紀錄稱，目前世界最長壽的人是115歲高齡的美國人格特魯德·貝恩斯，生於1894年4月6日。

Vocabulary:

longevity：the length or duration of life（長壽）